Spring has arrived and with it the hopes for brilliant sunshine and clear weather. It is also the time when you can experiment in the kitchen with seasonal ingredients like garlic, fiddleheads, and ramps. Add these to some of the tried recipes and create exciting new dishes to spice up the springtime. We have some spring recipes for you to start with.
Matzo Balls in Ramp Pesto
With the arrival of spring, ramps pop up everywhere. You will find them on the market stands and the menus of most restaurants. Since they are seasonal, this is the only time you can fully enjoy their flavor, unless you pickle them. Here, we bring you an interesting spring recipe perfect for a slightly chilly evening.
Ingredients:
For the Matzo Balls
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup matzo meal
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon chopped ramps (both white and green parts)
For the soup:
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup chopped ramps (both white and green parts)
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Ramp Pesto
1 cup chopped ramps (both white and green parts)
2 tablespoons olive oil (to sauté)
3 tablespoons olive oil (to blend)
Sea salt to taste
Directions:
In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and vegetable oil together until well combined. Stir in the matzo meal and salt until a thick dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add water, one tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the right consistency.
Fold in the chopped ramps until evenly distributed throughout the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up the dough.
In the meantime, prepare the soup. In a large pot, bring the chicken or vegetable broth to a simmer over medium heat. Add the chopped ramps, carrots, and celery to the simmering broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, sauté the remaining ramps in olive oil. Blend the sautéed ramps in olive oil and sea salt to make the pesto.
Once the matzo ball dough has chilled, wet your hands with water and roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Gently drop the matzo balls into the simmering soup. Cover the pot and let the soup simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until the matzo balls are cooked through and tender. Once the matzo balls are cooked, ladle the soup into bowls, making sure to include some of the ramps, carrots, and celery in each serving. Garnish the soup with a little ramp pesto.
Lemon Fiddlehead Pasta
Spring is also the season of “green” and the greenest spring ingredient is the fiddlehead fronds. These fronds look funny with their coiled shapes but do not make the mistake of underestimating them. These fronds are extremely nutritious. Substitute broccoli for fiddleheads and try this delicious spring recipe.
Ingredients:
250g fiddlehead ferns, washed and trimmed
250g pasta (linguine or fettuccine works well)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped (to garnish)
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fiddlehead ferns and blanch for about 2-3 minutes. Drain and set aside. In the same pot of boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the blanched fiddlehead ferns to the skillet and sauté for another 2-3 minutes until they are tender-crisp. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it to the skillet with the fiddlehead ferns and garlic.
Add lemon zest and juice to the skillet, tossing everything together to combine. If the pasta seems dry, add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen it up. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until it melts and coats the pasta evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley for an extra burst of flavor.
Garlic Scape Bruschetta
We know that a little garlic goes a long way in improving the flavor of any dish. But did you know the garlic scapes are equally powerful? Indeed, this spring ingredient is as interesting as its cousin. Moreover, it is green, so it fulfills the health quotient as well. We tried adding it to the traditional Italian bruschetta and the result was nothing short of yummy. Here’s our take on this spring recipe.
Ingredients
1 bunch garlic scapes (about 8-10 scapes), trimmed and chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 French baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic scapes and sauté for 4-5 minutes until they start to soften. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If using balsamic vinegar, add it to the skillet and cook for another minute, then remove from heat.
Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Toast them in the preheated oven for about 5-7 minutes until they are lightly golden and crisp. Once the bread slices are toasted, rub each slice with a peeled garlic clove for extra flavor. Spoon the cooked garlic scapes onto each toasted baguette slice, distributing them evenly.
Top each bruschetta with halved cherry tomatoes and chopped fresh basil. Sprinkle-grated parmesan cheese over the bruschetta for added richness. Return the bruschetta to the oven for another 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes are warmed through and the cheese is melted. Serve the bruschetta warm.
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